All-Ireland Policy Paper on Fuel Poverty and Health

December 2007

Helen McAvoy

Overview • Fuel poverty has important direct and indirect

effects on population health and contributes to health inequalities.

• This paper presents all island information on:

– prevalence and trends in fuel poverty– vulnerable households– fuel prices– consequences of fuel poverty– social assistance schemes– policy landscape.

Key findings

• Levels of fuel poverty on the island are unacceptably high.

• Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland have high levels of excess winter mortality compared to similar European countries.

• Single person households and households headed by lone parents and pensioners are at particular risk.

Policy implications

• This paper identifies the need for:

– strong interdepartmental government-led strategic approaches to tackle fuel poverty

– harmonisation of fuel poverty and climate change policies

– development of information and knowledge– regular monitoring and reporting – focus on improving energy efficiency of low

income households.